


Rescue and Restore

by zvi



Category: Razia's Shadow
Genre: Flash Fic, Gen, Post-Canon, myth, writer's choice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-01-16
Updated: 2009-01-16
Packaged: 2017-10-02 04:37:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zvi/pseuds/zvi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The end of the prophecy is the beginning of a new life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rescue and Restore

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Writer's Choice Challenge 287, sunlight](http://community.livejournal.com/writers_choice/296542.html).  
> Notes: Razia's Shadow is a creation myth told in song. You can stream it for free at [Forgive Durden's page on purevolume](http://www.purevolume.com/ForgiveDurden).

After the mountain came down, Pallis returned to his kingdom. His subjects were both astonished and affrightened at the light which had come pouring down to them, at the fall of the great mountain Razia, at the clarity which fell immediately upon their words and deeds and hearts.

Pallis spoke within a public square and proclaimed to all who would listen that a new day had dawned. The ancient prophecy had been fulfilled and no longer was the Terrene divided. Razia had fallen, and now his people would join those of King Malka and Princess Anhura in a display of unity and wonder.

This speech did not immediately bring about its intended result.

The people cried out for shade and darkness and their old way of life. But then Princess Anhura came forward, and she spoke of her love for Adakias, of her desire to know the land that had produced him, of her desire to build a bridge across Holy the Sea.

And the people watched her face, the sunlight bouncing off her skin brown and smooth, her smile open, warm, and loving. And their hearts were moved: the people loved her.

The speech became a party, the party became a mission, and soon a great number of people, with Pallis and Anhura at their head, were filling the longshoremen's barge and crossing the sea.

Anhura went to the center of her father's city and was appalled. For she found that King Malkas had assumed that the falling of Razia was some sort of attack, nefarious treachery on the part of the dark kingdom.

Anhura stood in front of all who would listen and told of her love for Adakias, of the ancient betrayal which had caused the wall to be built, of the prophecy which foreordained its fall. She told her people that a new day had dawned. The ancient prophecy had been fulfilled and no longer was the Terrene divided. Razia had fallen, and now her people would join those of Prince Pallis in a display of unity and wonder.

The people laughed at her and prepared for war, beating their ploughshares clumsily into swords. Then Prince Pallis stood before them and spoke of his brother, of his murder, of his sorrow. He told them that he wished his people to know theirs intimately, that he invited them all to his homeland, that he wished to know the land that his brother's life had been sacrificed to reunite with their home.

And the people looked upon him, the sun gleaming down upon his pale white skin. They saw his sad expression, the tears trembling in his eyes, and the people loved him and cheered him.

And the speech turned into a party, and the party turned into a mission, and finally the people lifted up Anhura and Pallis upon their shoulders and marched them to the palace and the King.

Malkas was astonished at this behavior of his citizens, appalled by the company his daughter kept, and chilled at the thought of change. But the citizenry called for him to come out and see the future, and he feared a riot if he did not comply.

And he stepped out into the bright sunshine, and the warming gleam of his daughter's smile, and the strained entreaty of Pallis' regard. So the king bid his advisors turn his preparations from war to revel. The shadowed people came together with the lightsiders in a moment of bright celebration which lasted through the night and into the first rays of dawn.


End file.
